Relatives who are at risk should be tested. This is absolutely essential in the case of brothers and sisters (siblings) as they stand at least 1 in 4 chance of being affected. Early detection and treatment will prevent all the complications of the disease. Since the carrier rate is 1 in 5, it is worth while screening the spouses of homozygotes.

N.B. Screening leads to early diagnosis and treatment, preventing complications developing from this frequent and potentially fatal genetic disorder.

As haemochromatosis is an inherited disorder, family members of someone diagnosed with haemochromatosis are at increased risk of also having the condition. It is important to alert these family members and tell them what they need to do about it.